Fisk mills



'illimitati giant strut @time insu` MILLS, or WASHINGTON, DISTRICT on COLUMBIA, AssIeNon To HIMsELF,

MARCUS I. NORTON, OF HARTFORD, CONNECTICUT.

TROY, NEW YORK. AND GEORGE H. PENFIELD, OF

Letters Patent No. 91,473, dated June 15, 1869.

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Tim aanname stema es in me Leemrazm ma mien; par: enne was To'all whom it may cancernr Be it known that I, Fxslc MILLS, of the city and county of Washington, in the District of Columbia, have invented certain new, useful, and valuable improvements relating to the postal service of the United States of America, and which I denominate Cancel-Abolishing Return-Postage-Stamp Envelope," or Postal Currency, and which is for use by the Post Department, and which may also be used as postal currency in the country; and I do hereby -declare that thc following is afnll, clear, and exact description of the saine, reference being hereby had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference `marked thereon, making a part of these speciiications.

The accompanying drawings show and representa-.or illustrate, one of my said cancel-abolishing returnpostage-stamp or envelope-currency, which may be used as currency and for the ,prepayment of postage upon a letter to the amount of .three cents, having and containing suitable `lines and ornamentations printed upon the entire surface or face ofthe saine.

The main purpose or object of my said invention and improvements, is to produce a postage-stamp of sudicient size and form, and with suitable design or ornament-ation. They may be folded into an envelope to 'receive anyletter, then sealed therein, addressed, and posted, and which shall be cancelled at the time, `and by the means of the address or supesrcription, or by other and necessary writing upon the same, when .so folded, substantially as shown at'a a a of the accompanying drawings. The denomination or value of such postage-stamp Vor postal-envelope currency, is indicated bythe numeral or iigure', printed upon and across the said superscription-lines a a a, as shown at b, of the said drawings, and at the same time the following words are printed upon such postal-envelope currency, at

' some convenient and suitable place, to wit, three cents, and such words will, in Aall cases, correspond with the sum, amount, er value represented by the ligure or numeral printed thereon.

At or near the upper left-hand corner, I arrange the directions necessary to or for a return ofthe said-postalcurrency envelope or envelope postage-stamp, with the contents therein, to the person writing. the same, or to any other person or persons whose name or names sliallhaie been written thereupon. The business-card of the person using such postal-currency envelope or envelope postage-stamp, may be printed thereon in any suitable or desirable form, while just below the same, may be the portrait of the Postmaster General, or of ally other person, design, or thing deemed best so to represent, or instead thereof there may be any other suitable design there to serve as a vignette on such envelope-currency.

The return directions aforesaid named, and also said business-card or business-'advertisement will be so printed thereon at c and d, and such portrait or likeness and vignette, will be so printed thereon at e of the accompanying drawings.

Upon the right-hand side or end of such postaleuvelope currency. or envelope postage-stamp, I arrange the figure or numeral 3, in or within a starshaped or other style or form of design, substantially as shown at j' of the said drawings.

Above the said design f, and above the said superscription or address-lines a a a, I arrange and print the title or style of the envelope or currency, substantially as shown at g of the same drawings, Any other and suitable designs, forms, or figures, or words neces-v` sary in orderto successfully carry out my said invention and improvements, may bensed and printed, or otherwise impressed thereupon, which, when done, shall be substantially the same as my "posta.l-en velope currency, or envelope postage-stamp.

-I make my said postal-envelope currency or envclope postage-stamp, in size large enough to admit of being folded so as to form the envelope of any desirablc or any suitable size or style for use in the reception of printed or written letters for transportation in and through the mails. I print upon all that part or surface forming the front of the said postal-envelope currency or envelope postage-stamp, when folded into the required frm of an envelope, ready for use or for the reception of the 'letter to be as aforesaid, the design, letters, words, figures, lines, and form shown in and by the accompanying drawings, or substantially the same, whereby to carry out in a successful'manner the object and purpose of my said invention and improvements, aforesaid described and set forth, and as contained in the accompanying drawings.

The said postal-envelope currency7 or envelope postage-stamp, thus constructed, may be of any size or denomination required, and the same will serve the double purpose of a stamp for the payment of postage on letters, circulars, Ste., and an envelope, and therefore the same has been named and styled as hereinbefore set forth.

The said postal-envelope currency or envelope postage-stamp, will be cut into the required form or shape for folding, and thereafterthe aforesaid described design or engraving shown by the accompanying drawings, and containing my said invention and ,improvements, will be printed or otherwise impressed thereupon, when the same will be folded into the form and size of an envelope insome suitable manner, and by any suitable and convenient means, and then the respective parts of the saine will be gummedand fixed ready for use in the postal service.

The advantages of such postal-envelope currency or transmitted therein envelope postage-stamp, are many. Writing the address or superscxiption upon the same, serves for the full, perfect, and pennanent cancellation, and thus and thereby prevents fraud upon tbe postal revenue by a second or re-use of postage-stamps. This address or supcrscription is so put upon such envelope-currency or envelope postage-stamp, before the letter is posted, and the postmaster, when the same is thus posted, has only to inspect the same, to see the address or superscrlption aforesaid, and is thereafter saved the time, labor, and expense of cancelling the postagestamp by some instrument now used for that purpose upon all other kinds of postage-stamps, whether the same be permanently upon such envelope, or affixed thereto, and such as now in use by the Post Oflce Department in this country. Business-men -may purchase my said postal-envelope currency or envelope postage-stamp," of the Postmaster General, and keep the same on hand for use as change in the transaction of their business` which is not only a great convenience to them, but it would have great influence in increasing Ythe use of such envelopes by those doing business in and through the mails, which would be a very desirable thing on the part of the Post Olce Department, and it would also serve as a great means in lessening and cheapening the postage upon letters and all matter where the same may be used.

If the person using my said postal-envelope currency or envelope postage-stamp for transmitting` of letters or other matter in the mails, shall not wish or desire the return of the same, then such person may omit w write or print such request for return, upon said envelope, or in place of such request, such person may write or print the following words, to wit, not. returned, as the case may be.

My said postage-stamp or currency may be of any size required by the Postmaster General.

When letters are desired to be returned. the postmark upon said envelope will servetoshow or indicate the post oce towhich such letteris to be so returned.

There may he, if deemed best, some suitable dcsign printed upon the back side or upon the aps of my said envelope postage-stamp or postal-en velope currency; but it is nt essential in order to successfully carry ont.tlre object and purposes of my said invention -and improvement, which also will serve to guard against and prevent counterfeiting upon the postal service, as well as serve to prevent all attempts at fraud upbn thepostal revenue by a second or rie-use of the postage-stamp. The postage-stamp being the envelope, and the envelope being the postage-stamp, the cancellation of the same must he certain, complete, and permanent, in the manner and by the means substantially as herein described and set forth.

Having thus described my s'aid invention and irnprovemen Willra-tl claim, and desire to secure by Letters Paltent,

1. A postageatamp-envelope currency constructed, arranged, and combined in the manner and for the purposes substantially as herein described and set forth.

2. Also, a postagestamp folded into an envclo of the requisite size to receivclettcrs for mailing, an having the postagestamp so printed, and impressed, and arranged thereon, that it shall be cancelled in the manner and by the means substantially as herein described and set forth.

In testimony whereof, I have on this 2d day of June, 1869. hereto set my hun'd, in the presence of two wittresses, to wit- FISK MILLS.

Witnesses:

F. W. Dow, O. M. Swnw. 

